Residual voids
Open cut mining practices have historically left open mining pits (referred to as ‘residual voids’) in place at the end of mining. These voids can become pit lakes and can pose ongoing risks that may need to be managed. Voids can also be used to generate opportunities for post-mining uses, including irrigation of crops, provision of stock drinking water, pumped storage hydropower, aquaculture or development of recreational areas.
Publications
- Best practice approaches for rehabilitation and management of mine voids, March 2022
This research brief introduces the work we plan to undertake and stakeholder advice on mine voids.
Water Modelling
Publications
- Review of current approaches to model residual mine voids for rehabilitation planning, March 2023
This technical paper is a review of current mine void modelling practices in Queensland and comments on the advantages and disadvantages of available modelling approaches.
- Approaches for leading practice modelling of residual mine voids for rehabilitation planning, March 2023
This technical paper describes leading practice mine void modelling approaches including issues such as project planning, conceptual model development, model selection, scenario testing, deciding appropriate timeframes for prediction, and defining suitable modelling outputs.
- Applying leading practice modelling of residual mine voids for mine rehabilitation planning, March 2023
This technical paper provides step-by-step guidance describing how to implement leading practices for mine void modelling.
Water Treatment
Publications
- Technical brief, comparing approaches to treat coal mine affected water, September 2022
This technical brief provides the implications for leading practice, comparing approaches to treat coal mine affected water in Queensland.
Student reports
- Approaches to treat coal mine affected water in Queensland, September 2022
This report is an output from a student project that was undertaken as part of a three month higher degree Industry Placement. This report does not seek to identify best practice water treatment approaches but describes a framework that can be used to identify, assess and compare water treatment options.
Water Rights
Publications
- Technical brief, managing water during and after mine rehabilitation, October 2022
This technical brief summarises the regulatory and planning considerations for the transition of water rights and water infrastructure from an operational phase of mining to rehabilitation and closure. It also outlines the implications for leading practice as recommendations to support the transfer of water rights, licensing and responsibility for ongoing management of water infrastructure from active mining to a closed mine.
Void Post-mining land uses (PMLUs)
Student reports
- Review of open-cut coal mine void rehabilitation planning practices in Queensland, January 2023
This report is an output from a student project that was undertaken as part of a three month higher degree Industry Placement. This report identifies some post-mining land uses for mine voids and considers the opportunities and challenges for their implementation.